“Power of Nature” was awarded Travel Photographer of the Year Contest 2017, reported “El Universal”.
On December 13, 2015, the Volcano of Fire in Colima produced a volcanic explosion and plume of erupting ash that was captured by Sergio “Tapiro” Velasco, a photojournalist, documentary and nature photographer native of the southwestern state of Colima.
Tapiro was at the right place and the right time and was able to capture nature’s full power after many nights of vigil and years of documenting the activity of the Volcano of Fire in his native Colima. His picture “Power of Nature” received the World Press Photo award in 2016 and has now been recognized with National Geographic’s Travel Photographer of the Year Contest for 2017.
Tapiro dedicated his award to Mexico and invited its people to pursue their dreams in a post on his Instagram account:
I feel very proud of being Mexican, I feel very proud of being born here in Colima, a small place, but undoubtedly one of the most beautiful places on earth.
I dedicate this joy to you. If you have a dream. Go for it and pursue it, be persistent, fight for it. If this small triumph inspires other Mexican people to work hard, go together with all the strength of the heart and with pride, then the effort will be worth something. Bricks help you to step on them and see afar and beyond, but you should always step off and keep walking.
I’m very thrilled. A big hug to you who are reading this just now.
¡Thank you very much for everything!”
